october passed quietly, and macnaghten arranged to leave on the 2nd of november. burnes had received several warnings as to the formidable nature of the confederacy of the chiefs. mohun lal, the principal moonshee, who had been down to sale's camp, told him that if the conspiracy was not crushed in its infancy it would become too strong to be suppressed. burnes replied that he had no power at present, but that as soon as macnaghten left he would conciliate the chiefs by raising their allowances to the former point. on the 1st of november mohun lal again expressed his opinion of the danger. burnes replied that he feared the time was coming when the british would have to leave the country. he was in one of his moods of depression, but from this he recovered in the evening, and congratulated macnaghten upon leaving when everything was quiet.
at the very time he was speaking the hostile chiefs were assembled together, and were discussing the methods that were to be taken to overthrow the british power. they determined that the first step was to forge a document in the ameer's name, ordering all the people to rise, and at the same time to spread a report that it was the intention to seize all the principal chiefs and send them prisoners to england. it was singular that they should not have waited a few days, for the indian government had sent peremptory orders that the whole force at cabul, with the exception of a single brigade, should return with macnaghten to india.
the chiefs decided that as a first step a tumult should[pg 217] arise in the city, and this they at once set about exciting. they had no idea that it would succeed, and none of them ventured to take any part in it, as it was only intended to excite the passions of the rabble of the city. early the next morning a friendly afghan brought burnes news that the residency was about to be attacked. he did not believe the intelligence, as the city had of late been as quiet as usual; but on sending out some of his servants into the street they reported that there was certainly an unusual stir and excitement. he wrote to macnaghten saying so, but stating that he did not think the matter at all serious, although at the same time he requested that a military guard should be sent to him in order to overawe any disaffected persons.
angus had gone out early with azim. the latter had for some days past spent his time in the city, and each evening had returned with the rumours he had gathered. the talk in the lower quarters was all of the understanding at which the chiefs had arrived, and the general opinion was that in a few days these would pour down with all their forces and annihilate the infidels.
angus himself noticed the sullen expression on the faces of the lower class and the manner in which they scowled at him as he passed, and quite agreed with his follower that the troubles he had long foreseen were about to come to a head. when in the streets, too, he had an uneasy consciousness that he was being followed. several times he turned sharply round, but in the throng of natives in the streets he could recognize no face that he knew. this morning the feeling was particularly strong, although, as he had often done before, he assured himself that it was pure fancy on his part.
"i am not conscious of feeling nervous," he said to azim, "but i must be getting so. it has been a very anxious time all the year, and i suppose that without my knowing it it must have told upon me. however, i will turn down[pg 218] this quiet street, and if anyone is following us we shall certainly detect him."
a hundred yards down another lane crossed the one he had taken. azim had looked several times, but no one else turned down the lane, which was entirely deserted. as they passed the corner of the next lane some men suddenly sprang upon them. cloths were thrown over their heads, and in spite of their struggles they were lifted up and carried along rapidly. in a couple of minutes they stopped. angus heard a door open. they were borne along what he thought was a passage, thrust into a room, and a door was slammed to and locked behind them. they tore off their mufflers and looked around. it was a room of no great size, with strongly-barred windows. there were cushions on a divan that ran along one side. on a low table in the middle of the room were two cold chickens, a pile of fruit, a large jar of water, and two bottles of native wine.
"what on earth does this mean?" angus said, "and why have we been carried off?"
azim did not attempt to reply.
"we are prisoners, that is certain," angus went on; "but it would certainly look as if they meant to make us comfortable, and the room must have been prepared in readiness for our reception. i see no hope of getting away; the windows are very strongly barred, and," he continued as he walked across and looked out, "this little yard is surrounded by houses without windows on the ground floor, and with no door that i can see. i suppose there is one below us; anyhow, if we could get through these bars we should be no nearer liberty, for at best we could only re-enter the house, and possibly the door is fastened on the inside. there are certainly men in the house; i heard voices in the passage just now, and no doubt one of the fellows is stationed there.[pg 219] the only reason i can imagine for their carrying us off is that we are to be kept as hostages. of course i am known to be burnes's chief civilian assistant, and they might think that if i were in their hands he would be willing to make some concessions to get me back again. it is of no use worrying over it; we are not so badly off as we were in that snow-storm in the pass. the best thing we can do for the present is to make a meal, for we did not take anything before we started."
corner
as they passed the corner ... some men sprang on them.
they had just finished their breakfast when the sound of musketry was plainly heard.
"there is fighting going on," angus exclaimed. "what can it mean? there are no troops in the city except the native guards at our house and the treasury next door. it is either a fight between two factions in the city, or they are attacking our place. it is maddening being fastened up here just at this moment. the news brought by that afghan this morning that we were to be attacked must be true, though sir alexander altogether disbelieved it. he was in one of his happiest humours this morning, as to-day he was to obtain the goal of his hopes and to be the resident political officer, with all power in his hands. when he is in that mood he disbelieves all unpleasant tidings, while in his fits of depression he gives credit to every rumour that reaches his ear. still, the house should be able to hold out against a mob until help arrives from the camp; but whether or not, my place should be by his side whatever comes of it."
"if there is really a rising in the town, sir, we are certainly safer here than we should be in the streets, or even in the house."
"that may be," angus said impatiently, "but my duty is to be there." he paced restlessly up and down the room.
presently azim said: "i can't think how the men who[pg 220] seized us knew that we were coming along. it was quite by chance that you turned down the lane."
"they must have been close to us when we did so," angus said, "and must at once have run round by another lane and posted themselves at the corner where we were seized. we were not walking fast, and there would have been time for them to get there before us if they had run. but why should they have taken this trouble? and why should they have prepared this place beforehand for our reception? it beats me altogether."
after the firing had continued for a few minutes it ceased; then they could hear a confused roar of shouting.
"good heavens!" angus exclaimed, "they must have taken the house. the troops cannot have arrived in time, or we should have heard sharp volleys. this is maddening."
"well, sir," azim said philosophically, "if we had not been carried off we should have been in the house when they attacked it, and should have shared the fate of the others, whatever it may be."
"that is true enough," angus agreed; "still, i ought to have been there. ah!" he broke off suddenly, "they have not taken either your sword or mine, or my pistols"—for although not in military uniform the civilians generally carried swords, a necessary precaution when the whole native population always went about armed; and angus in addition carried pistols also concealed in his dress. "it is extraordinary that they should not have disarmed us."
"i do not think that they intended to do us harm," azim said; "they could have cut our throats had they chosen to do so, when they brought us here, without fear of discovery. why should they leave us our swords and provide a good meal for us if they intended to murder us afterwards?"
[pg 221]
"that is so, azim, and it makes the affair more incomprehensible. i tried to get at my pistols as they carried me along, but they held my arms too tightly for me to do so. it seems to me possible that this is the work of someone who was aware of the intended attack, and who doubted whether the troops would not enter the city and slaughter many of the inhabitants, and so thought that by producing us at the right moment he would not only clear himself, from any charge of taking part in the affair, but would earn a reward for having saved our lives. i certainly have no friend in the city who would be likely to seize me for any other object. of course, i was in communication with most of the important persons here, but it has been simply in an official way."
"whoever it is must have been watching you for some days, master, if, as you thought, he has been following you whenever you went out."
"i can have no doubt on that subject now, azim," and angus sat thinking for some time. "i think," he said suddenly, "it must be sadut khan; if so, we are safe. we know that he was with the ameer, and rode with him when he defeated our cavalry, and it has been reported that he has since returned to his tribe, though we have no certain information about it. it is possible that, knowing we were about to be attacked by the whole force of the tribesmen, he has borne his promise in mind, and has employed men to watch me and take steps, if necessary, to secure my safety. that certainly would explain what before it seemed impossible to understand."
the noise in the town still continued. at one time there was sound of heavy musketry firing.
"the troops have entered the city," angus exclaimed; "there will be hard fighting, for in the narrow streets an armed mob can offer a desperate resistance even to the best[pg 222] troops. but in the end they will put down this tumult, and if sir alexander has been murdered, exact a heavy penalty for his death."
in half an hour the firing gradually abated, and the musket shots came more faintly through the air. "our men are falling back, azim, there can be little doubt about that by the sound. there cannot be any great number of troops engaged. what on earth can macnaghten and elphinstone be doing?"
the roar of shouting in the streets became louder, and there was an occasional sound of firearms. "it is quite evident that the mob are in entire possession of the city, azim. they are looting the traders' quarter, and probably murdering all the whites who have taken up their residence there."
these fears were fully justified. the houses of sir alexander burnes and captain johnson, the paymaster of the ameer's troops, adjoined each other. johnson had, fortunately for himself, slept that night in the camp. sir alexander had with him his brother, lieutenant burnes, and lieutenant broadfoot, his military secretary, who had just arrived. curiously enough, it was the anniversary of the disastrous fight at purwandurrah, in which fight broadfoot's eldest brother had been killed. soon after angus had gone out the ameer's minister arrived and repeated the warning already given by the friendly afghan. burnes could no longer doubt that there was danger, but he refused to leave his house, saying that as soon as the news that there was a tumult reached the camp, the troops would be at once despatched to put it down. he, however, wrote urgently to macnaghten for support, and sent messengers to the most powerful native chief in the town begging him to calm the people, and assure them that all grievances should be redressed.
[pg 223]
one of the messengers was killed on the way, the other managed to return to the house desperately wounded. the gathering in the street increased every moment. burnes with the two officers went out on to a balcony, and from thence harangued the mob. his voice was drowned by yells and curses, weapons were brandished, and an attack was made on the doors of both houses. part of the mob were fanatics, who thought only of slaying the infidels, but a still larger party were animated solely by a desire to share in the sack of the ameer's treasury next door. the native guards both of sir alexander and the treasury opened fire, and for a time maintained themselves with the greatest bravery. of the english officers, broadfoot was the first to fall, shot through the heart. the position became more and more desperate. a party of the insurgents had set fire to the stables and forced their way into the garden. burnes was still attempting to lull the fury of the crowd. long ere this troops should have arrived to his rescue, but there were no signs that they were approaching. at last, seeing that all was lost, he disguised himself and went out into the garden with a man who had sworn by the koran to convey him and his brother safely into camp. no sooner, however, did they issue out than the traitor shouted: "this is burnes."
the mob rushed upon the brothers and hewed them to pieces. the defenders of the two houses fought bravely to the last, but were finally slaughtered to a man.
sir alexander burnes owed his death to the faults of others rather than his own. having been previously at cabul as the british agent, and speaking the language perfectly, it was to him the people made their complaints, to him they looked for redress. they knew nothing of macnaghten. when they found their condition growing from bad to worse, their taxes increasing, their trade at a stand-[pg 224]still, food extremely dear, and employment wanting, it was on burnes that they laid the blame; and yet he was all the time endeavouring, but in vain, to persuade macnaghten that it was absolutely necessary to compel the ameer to abandon a course that was exasperating for people of all classes, from the most powerful chiefs to the poorest inhabitants of the city. burnes was unquestionably a man of great ability, and had he been in macnaghten's place with full power and responsibility, things would probably have turned out differently.
the expedition from the first was a gigantic blunder, undertaken in the teeth of his remonstrances. in any case it was doomed to failure. it was impossible that we could maintain on the throne a man hated by the whole of his subjects—a race of fighting men, jealous to the last degree of their independence, and able to take full advantage of the natural strength of the country. but under the administration of an officer at once firm and resolute, and anxious to conciliate them in every way, the british force might have remained until the indian government could no longer support the expense of the occupation, and could then have withdrawn quietly with the puppet who had proved himself so utterly incapable of conciliating the people upon whom we had thrust him.
the great fault in the character of burnes was instability—his alternate fits of sanguine hopefulness and deep depression, and his readiness to believe what suited his mood of the moment. these characteristics were no doubt heightened by the unfortunate position in which he found himself. he had had every reason to expect that in view of his previous residence in cabul and his knowledge of the character of the people, he would have the post of political officer of the afghan capital, and he only accepted a secondary position upon the understanding that macnaghten's appointment[pg 225] was a temporary one, and that he would succeed him. when, however, months and years elapsed, and he was still without any recognized position whatever, when his advice was never adopted and his opinions contemptuously set aside by a man infinitely his inferior, he naturally came to take the worst view of things, and his fits of depression became more frequent. at last he fell, not because his house was isolated, for it could have held out until aid had come, but because the three men whose duty it was to rescue him—macnaghten, the ameer, and elphinstone—were alike vacillating, undetermined, and incompetent.
the ameer was the only one of these three to take any steps. when he heard of the riot he sent down a regiment of hindoostanee troops to rescue burnes. instead, however, of marching outside the town to the end of the street in which burnes's house was situated, they entered the city by the nearest gate, and tried to make their way through a maze of narrow lanes. their advance was desperately opposed. from every house and roof a fire of musketry was kept up, and, after losing two hundred of their number, they fled in utter confusion to the shelter of the citadel. elphinstone in his report says that he received the news at half-past seven that the town was in a ferment, and shortly after the envoy came and told him that it was in a state of insurrection, but that he did not think much of it, and expected the revolt would shortly subside. macnaghten suggested that brigadier shelton's force should proceed to the bala hissar to operate as might seem expedient, while the remaining force was concentrated in the cantonment, and assistance if possible sent to sir alexander burnes.
it was not, however, until between nine and ten that shelton received his orders; and almost directly afterwards another note arrived telling him not to move, as the ameer had objected. to this shelton replied that in an insurrec[pg 226]tion of the city there was no time for indecision, and recommended the general at once to resolve upon what measures he would adopt. he was then told to march immediately to the bala hissar, where he would receive further instructions from macnaghten. just as he was marching off, a note came from this officer telling him to halt for further orders. he sent an engineer to ask the reason for this order, but the officer was cut down by an afghan while dismounting just outside the square where the ameer was sitting. soon after this the military secretary himself came with orders for him to enter the citadel. when he arrived there, the ameer asked him who sent him and what he came there for, and he was forbidden to enter the town. all that he could do was to cover the retreat of the ameer's hindoostanee troops. in consequence of all these delays, it was twelve o'clock before shelton moved into the bala hissar, by which time burnes and his friends had been murdered and the riot had spread. houses were burned, shops sacked, and the families of several british officers massacred.
it is certain that had the slightest energy been shown, and had a small body of troops been despatched when burnes's first request for help arrived, the riot would have been nipped in the bud, for all accounts agree that for a considerable time not more than three hundred men took part in the attack, and even when shelton urged the necessity for prompt measures burnes might have been saved. except in the case of the rising at meerut in the indian mutiny, never did such disastrous effects result from the incompetence of a british general.
the day passed slowly to angus. it was maddening to be helpless when great events were happening. until it became quite dark no one came near them, but at seven o'clock they heard the bolt of the door withdrawn, and a[pg 227] man entered with a torch, by whose light they at once recognized hassan, their guide over the passes.
"you here, hassan!" angus exclaimed. "i had always thought of you as back again in your tower near bamian. is it you who has thus made us prisoners?"
"we were sorry to use force, effendi, but there was no other way. sadut khan charged us to look after your safety, and we have kept you in sight for some days. he was living in this house in disguise. he was absent yesterday evening to take part in the conference with the other chiefs, and did not return until after midnight. then he said, 'there will be a tumult in the city to-morrow, hassan, and probably the house of the officer burnes will be attacked. what will come of it i do not know. i myself and the other chiefs are leaving at once, so that if things go badly we can disavow any connection with the affair. the young officer, my friend, is, as you know, at burnes's house. he must be rescued. prepare this room for him. if he leaves the house before the attack begins, you must seize him and carry him in here. if his servant is with him, bring him also; he too must be saved. he waited on me kindly, and did all in his power for me. if he should not leave the house, then you and your followers must join the mob and keep together, forcing yourselves to the front, so that you will be the first to enter the house. take long cloaks to throw round them, and get them out, even at the cost of your lives.'
"i told him that it should be done. you saved his life, and you also saved ours, for we should have been suffocated in the snow-storm had you not cut your way out and come to our rescue. so it has been done. we were glad indeed when we saw you come out. had you not turned down that lane, i should have come up and accosted you, and,[pg 228] telling you that i had an important message to deliver to you, should have asked you to come with me to a quiet spot, where i might deliver it safely. as it was, directly you turned down, we ran round, and, as you know, captured you without noise and without being observed by you. you will, i trust, pardon me for having laid hands on you; but i had orders from the khan, who told me that i should have to use force, as he was sure you would not, however great the danger, he persuaded to leave burnes."
"what has happened?"
"the englishman and two others with him have been killed. one of the ameer's regiments entered the town, but was driven back. there is looting going on everywhere. many have been killed, and many houses burnt."
"but what is our army doing?"
"nothing. there is a force at the bala hissar, the rest are under arms in their camp."
"it seems impossible!" angus exclaimed. "however," he went on, stifling his indignation for the time, "i have to thank you deeply, hassan, you and sadut khan, for having saved our lives. assuredly you took the only way to do so; for had you only told me of the danger that threatened sir alexander burnes, i should have returned to warn him and share his fate, whatever it might be. as it was, i cannot blame myself that i was absent. i thank you with all my heart. pray tell the khan when you see him that i am deeply grateful to him. he has nobly redeemed his promise, and i hope some day to thank him in person."
"now, sahib, we will start at once," hassan said. "i have clothes for you to put over your own, and there is no fear of our being suspected. we will take you to within shot of your camp."
he called out, and his four men entered, bringing with them afghan disguises. when these were put on, they sallied[pg 229] out at once. the five men were fully armed, and long afghan guns were given to angus and azim. the streets were full of people, for the most part in a state of wild excitement, though the better class looked grave at the prospect of the retribution that would probably fall upon the city, perhaps to-morrow or certainly in a day or two. none paid any attention to the group, who differed in no respect from the majority of those around them. issuing from one of the gates, they made their way to the cantonments. when within a few hundred yards the afghans stopped. after a hearty farewell and renewed thanks, angus and azim left them. they had taken off their disguises, and offered them to hassan to carry back, but he said, "you had best keep them; you may want them again. there is no saying what may happen." and they accordingly carried them with them.
in a short time they were challenged by a sentry, and halted till the latter had called a sergeant and four men. then they went forward. angus was recognized at once, as he was known by sight to everyone in the camp. in a short time they met an officer, who told them the news of the massacre of burnes, his brother, and broadfoot, and their guard, which was already known, as one man had escaped the general slaughter, and had, after hiding for some hours, come into the camp. angus went at once to macnaghten's house and sent in his name. the envoy came out into the hall. "i am glad to see that you have escaped, mr. campbell. i thought that all had perished, though your name is not specially mentioned as among the victims."
"i was not in the house, sir," angus replied. "sir alexander burnes had sent me out to gather information, and i and my servant were suddenly seized and carried into a house, where we were kept as prisoners all day. after it was dark we made our escape, having obtained disguises from a friendly afghan."
[pg 230]
"well, i am glad," macnaghten said; "but you must excuse me now, for the general is here, and we are holding a council. you had better for to-night take up your quarters in poor burnes's tent. i shall have time to attend to matters to-morrow."
although burnes had his residence in the city, he had a large tent not far from the envoy's house. this he occupied when he had business in camp, and it was here that he received natives who brought him news, or who had grievances that they wished to report to him. here angus lay down for the night, with a deep feeling of thankfulness that his life had been spared, mingled with a foreboding that the troubles had only begun, and that there was yet much peril in store before the army were safely out of afghanistan.
in the morning angus again went up to the envoy's. "i have been thinking, mr. campbell," macnaghten said when he entered, "as far as i have been able to think on any one subject, how your services can be best utilized temporarily. i think that, if you would not mind, you might be attached to the commissariat, and assist captain boyd and captain johnson."
"i will gladly do so, sir," angus said. "i will take up the work at once."
"anticipating your consent, i have already written a letter for you to take to those officers."
glad to have work before him, angus went at once to the commissariat camp. the two officers were at breakfast. both rose and congratulated him heartily on his escape. "how on earth did you manage it?"
he gave as brief an account as he had done to sir william macnaghten, and then handed them the letter he had received from the envoy. "that is good news," captain johnson said heartily. "we shall be glad indeed to have your aid. i will have a tent pitched for you at once by the side[pg 231] of ours. of course you have not breakfasted. sit down with us. what do you think of the state of affairs? you know a good deal more than we do of the disposition of the afghan chiefs."
"i think things look very bad," angus said gravely. "after what seems to me the imbecility shown yesterday, to which the death of my chief is due, it is impossible to feel anything like confidence in the general."
"that is the universal feeling in camp," captain johnson said. "if we had sale here i believe everything would go right, but poor elphinstone is only fit for a snug armchair in a comfortable club. he is no more able to cope with a crisis like this than an old woman would be. in fact, for choice i would take the average old woman.
"orders have been given for an attack upon the town to-day, but it is more than likely that it will be countermanded. if elphinstone can make up his mind to throw his whole force, with the exception of a strong camp guard, against the city, we should certainly carry it. no doubt there might be a considerable loss of life, but that could not be helped. it would certainly be successful. then i should say we ought to turn the whole of the afghan population out of the town, move all our provisions and stores there, and settle down for the winter. we could beat off any attack that the afghans could make against us. as it is, we are terribly anxious about the stores. you know that i originally established all the magazines for the ameer's army in the bala hissar. then macnaghten came up with the ameer from jellalabad, and he told me that the ameer objected to the magazines being there. that was quite enough for macnaghten. he always gives in to the ameer's wishes, however ridiculous. so we had to leave the storehouses i had built and move out bag and baggage.
"the only place that i could get was the camel sheds[pg 232] half-way between this and the town, and unless a strong garrison is sent down there the afghans are certain to take possession of them. but boyd's stores are even more important. they are within four hundred yards of the defences of the camp, and contain all our grain, our hospital stores, our wine and beer, our sugar, and everything else. and if his stores and mine are both lost, we shall have starvation staring us in the face at the end of a week. just look out over the plain. since daylight there has been a steady stream of men from the hills, and from all the villages round, flocking into the city; they have heard of the capture of my treasury, and are eager to share in the looting. if they succeed in capturing the stores and provisions, god help us all."
